Introducing the World Famous Neutrals – Easiest Nudes Ever palette from Benefit Cosmetics…wow, what a mouthful that was!
How are you doing today, friend? I hope all is well and you are staying warm on this chilly day! 🙂
In the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be reviewing a couple of different Benefit products that have been sitting in my stash, just waiting for me to share my opinions of them with the world! 😉 There will be a variety of products, but they are all items that I’ve been meaning to review for a while, but just haven’t had the chance. First up, one of the “World Famous Neutral” palettes – Easiest Nudes Ever!
Want to see more photos? Click read more!
Now, if you have never heard of Benefit’s “World Famous Neutral” line-up, you are most likely a little confused. About a year ago, Benefit released a whole slew of neutral eyeshadow palettes and named them “World Famous Neutrals”. The palettes in this category are very distinct and easy to spot (which I’ll get to), but, if you ask me, while I love Benefit and I have so many positive things to say about these palettes and Benefit cosmetics in general, I think they are slightly overstepping with that kind of name. If I was younger and/or new to makeup, I’d think that these are items that I need in my collection, when, while pretty close to perfection, these are not absolute MUST-HAVES like the Urban Decay Naked palettes.
Anyways, getting off of my soapbox, here is a breakdown of the palette:
- Two 0.11 ounce Creaseless Cream Shadows in R.S.V.P (shimmery champagne) and No Pressure (satin-y medium brown/taupe)
- Four 0.04 ounce Longwear Powder Shadows in Call My Bluff(shimmery soft eggshell), Thanks A Latte(satin-y medium brown/taupe), Pinky Swear(matte pale pink) and Quick, Look Busy(matte dark brown/espresso)
- The palette costs $36 CAD, $30 USD (you lucky devils, you!) or £23.50 GBP
- Available at most Sephora stores in Canada
First of all, the packaging…wow. All of the World Famous Neutral palettes feature Eyenessa,a character created by Benefit, on the cover and let me tell you, she’s quite the character indeed. She’s got a serious gypsy/boho look going, one that I know that both I and Mary-Kate Olsen approve of. 😉 For this palette, she’s looking into her crystal ball and what I can tell you based on my own psychic abilities (oh, you didn’t know I had those? You know, it’s casual…)…and the fact that I’ve been using this palette for a while (hehe)…is that we are looking at one kickass palette.
Considering the fact that this palette is pink (my favesies) and that it is super easy to locate when I am navigating through my rather, *ahem* large collection, it’s really well done/put together. Its unique pattern and colour, combined with the fact that everything is neatly packaged and it’s not super confusing to look through, make it a winner in my book. Plus, the tips and tricks that accompany this palette and guide you through both a daytime and evening look also reveal a super handy mirror. I can (and have) throw this in my purse for days that I am at work or school and am going out to party straight after, with no concerns about it taking up too much space or needing to take a thousand other hindering (and HEAVY!) products and mirrors with me as well. You might not think that four eyeshadows are a lot, but trust me, 4 is more than enough when you want to take your look from subtle day to smoky, sexy night in a pinch. Oh, and did I mention? When you have used up all of the product in the palette, you can remove the inner tray to create your very own keepsake box for jewellery or trinkets! Score!
Let’s focus on what is actually inside the palette for a moment, shall we?
The creaseless cream shadows are incredible. I have quite oily eyelids, so even when I choose to apply an eyeshadow base, I always have to apply a primer underneath, just to lock in the colour. Sometimes, this is pretty shabby, as I’d love to be able to simply swipe a colour on my lids and go on days that I’m in a rush, but I know that if I do this, the colour will be creasing and fading in the ugliest fashion by lunchtime. With these, however, I decided to take a risk to see if they live up to the hype. Well, my oh my, do they ever! Even on my obnoxiously oily lids, these do not budge. We’re talking, apply at 7 in the morning and you are still looking at beautiful colour with absolutely NO fading, creasing or anything of the sort as late as 6 pm. Now, I did notice that, regrettably, these didn’t quitelive up to their name without some kindof powder on top. However, on days that I just wanted to wear R.S.V.P or No Pressure with some mascara and go, all I had to do was swipe a super thin layer of translucent powder, the same kind I use on my face, on top of my lid, and I was good to go. When I did this, the creams had the same amount of wear with the pleasant lack of tear as they did with powder eyeshadows on top. Also, the texture of these are equally amazing…they feel and apply as soft as butter but despite this, they somehow manage to last on the eye! These are truly one of a kind.
Take a look at R.S.V.P…so pretty!
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| R.S.V.P, natural light |
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| R.S.V.P, natural light |
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| R.S.V.P, flash |
R.S.V.P is a beautiful, sparkly champagne colour that goes well under just about any look, and looks fantastic when worn on its own. It looks quite different when in daylight as supposed to when it is seen in artificial light, as the sparkle is enhanced when worn during the evening hours. Either way, it is a gorgeous colour that I suspect would look good on any complexion and is a great, versatile base for any eye look.
I would pair it with:
Call My Bluff (featured in this palette)
MAC All That Glitters, Patina or Expensive Pink
Urban Decay Dust, Burnout or Sin
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| No Pressure, natural light |
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| No Pressure, natural light |
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| No Pressure, flash |
No Pressure is a lovely taupe colour with just a hint of shimmer that is unique enough to be a colour that you want in your collection, but not so unique that it’s strange and unusable. It really is a shade that is the best of both worlds, as it’s neutral enough for day but it’s smoky enough to create an evening look with, and it has a perfect amount of shimmer. If I could only use one word to describe this one, I would choose captivating. At first look, it looks like just an ordinary “blah” taupe, but once it’s on your eye, it’s beautiful (with a capital b!). Combine the shade with the buttery yet long lasting formula of the creaseless cream shadows, and it’s a winner. No Pressure is another one that will look great on anyone and I’ll be using it for many years to come.
I would pair it with:
Thanks A Latte (featured in this palette)
MAC Satin Taupe or Mulch Too Faced Lap Dance, Unmentionables, or Cocoa Puff
As for the eyeshadows, these did not disappoint! They really are easy to work with; they blend easily and they don’t cause too much havoc when applying. The shades all work really well, both together and on their own, save for the one slightly powdery/chalky shade (I’m looking at you, Pinky Swear!). I don’t what Benefit has going on at their labs, but these ALSO feel like butter! As I was swatching these, I kept expecting there to be a problem, because no eyeshadow could possibly have such great texture and payoff simultaneously, but nope! They deliver on all fronts!
My one major issue, though, is that there could have been a bit more pigmentation in each colour… *sigh* I know, I know, we were doing so well and then I had to go and ruin it, didn’t I!? I’m sorry, but I must be honest, it’s beauty bloggers code! If these packed a bit more colour, they would have been a 10/10. But, I had to pack on more than one layer for ALL of these shades to show up the way I wanted them to. This might be due to a couple of different factors, though:
a) It could be my deep skin tone coming into play, as it’s harder for the same colour to show up with the same *oomph* on my complexion as it does on fairer ones
and/or
b) I could just be spoilt, as for the last several months, pretty much the only eyeshadows I’ve used are from Urban Decay, and they are so pigmented that sometimes you have to blend out a single swipe so it doesn’t appear as strong
But, time to get real, again. If other companies can get the formula right (MAC, Urban Decay, Too Faced, NARS, etc.), then Benefit really has no excuse. So, while I love these eyeshadows and would go to my grave singing their praises, they could have packed a bit more punch!
Overall, though, they are beautiful colours that make creating a simple but beautiful neutral eye super easy!
Here are some close-up shots and some swatches on my NW45/Dark 1 skin:
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| From L-R: Call My Bluff, Thanks A Latte, Pinky Swear, Quick, Look Busy (natural light) |
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| From top to bottom: Call My Bluff, Thanks A Latte, Pinky Swear, Quick, Look Busy (natural light) |
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| From top to bottom: Call My Bluff, Thanks A Latte, Pinky Swear, Quick, Look Busy (flash) |
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| From L-R: Call My Bluff, Thanks A Latte, Pinky Swear, Quick, Look Busy (flash) |
Time to rate (please note the new rating system and comment if you like it, please! Thank you!!)! 😀
Packaging: 10/10
Feminine, cute, unique, easy to travel with and it can also function as a keepsake box!? Me likey 🙂
Quality: 8.5/10
This score would have a 7/10 but the creaseless cream shadows saved the day. The creaseless cream shadows are most certainly worth the hype that they receive, you really can “set it and forget it” (so to speak, haha)! The eyeshadows, while I like the colour selection and they perform well, the pigmentation is lacking some intensity for my liking and one of the four shades is slightly chalky and requires a little bit of extra time and patience. Overall, though, the quality of the palette is good, hence the score.
Ease of Use: 9.5/10
Not that I would recommend it, but I honestly feel like a 6 year old could use this palette. The colours are pretty and look good no matter HOW you combine them, and there are even tips and tricks for the people who are at a total loss. Pinky Swear did dock the rating a little bit, but as a whole, this palette is well presented and so easy to use, I could probably use it in my sleep. Good job, Benefit!
Value: 7/10
While I realize that there are 4 eyeshadows and 2 mini creaseless cream shadows in this palette, I personally think that $36 CAD is a little steep, given that there aren’t even much of each product. The creaseless cream shadows will last me a long time, because you really don’t need much per application. However, the powder shadows? Benefit, wouldn’t you say you’re being a wee bit stingy? Either give me more, or charge me less, but you can’t have it both ways!
Accessibility and Release: 10/10
Where I live in Canada, there are about 3 Sephora stores within an hour’s drive, and one of those just happens to be in the local mall that I frequent at least bi-weekly. I hate when I have to go on a literal hunt for a product and/or when other countries receive a product MONTHS before we do (if we get it at all). So, if you combine the fact that I have easy access to a Sephora with the fact that as soon as I heard about these, I could buy them in store, you get a perfect rating.
OVERALL RATING: 45/50
I told you it kicked ass 😉
My overall thoughts and opinions?
I like it, it’s definitely a palette I would recommend, especially for people who are new to makeup and/or a lighter complexion. I really liked the shades that Benefit chose for it, they are foolproof and easy to work with. They also happen to be super alluring, and most times when I wear these shades, even if only the creaseless cream shadows, I get some kind of compliment. I think that they would be great gifts, for any occasion, and if you are thinking about getting into makeup but have no clue where to start with eyeshadow, I think this palette is highly justifiable. You’ll see, the shades are so pretty and simple, your confidence will skyrocket and before you know it, you’ll be wearing bright green eyeshadow! You go, Glen Coco! 😉
Alright, well, that’s it for today! I hope you enjoyed reading this post and I will talk to you soon!
Much love,
S♥
